Flush-tank-operating mechanism.



B. O. TILDEN.

' FLUSH TANK OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED r2345, 1913.

1,061,705. Patented May13, 1913.

A TTORNE Y.

COLUMBIA PLANOIJIIAPH CO..WASIIINGTON. D. c. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERT 0. TILDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN SANITARY WORKS,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FLUSH-TANK-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1913.

Application filed February 15, 1913. Serial No. 748,534.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERT O. TILDEN, a citizenof the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New Yorkand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin l lush-lank- Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in means used in connection withwater-closets, for the purpose of flushing the bowls thereof.

The object of the invention is to simplify and cheapen the constructionand to lessen the number of parts commonly employed in connection withthe flush tank operating mechanism.

In the following specification and claims will be found a detaileddescription of my invention, its operation and use, wherein ref erenceis made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part thereof, and inwhich Figure 1 is a front elevational view, partially in section, of aflush tank having my improved mechanism applied. Fig. 2 is an enlargedplan view, with portions broken away; showing the relative arrangementof the parts, when the operating handle is at rest, and the flush valveis closed. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation; showing by full and dotted lines,the arrangement and operation of the several parts of the mechanism.Fig. 4: is a rear face view of the bracket which supports certain of theoperating parts. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the bracket.

In the drawing, 2 represents the body of the flush tank, preferably ofthe lowdown type, having a cover 3.

4; represents the seat of the flush valve, and 5 represents the saidvalve.

6 represents an inlet valve by which the water is supplied to the tankfor flushing the bowl, and this valve is controlled by a balllike float7. The valve 5 is normally closed, and it is opened by means of liftrods 8 and 9, the latter rod connecting at its upper end to an arm 10 ofa rocking lever 10, which is pivotally supported by a series of alinedlugs 11 and 12 of a bracket 13, which is disposed at the inner side ofthe front wall of the tank. The lever 10 is preferably made out of amalleable rod, either brass or iron, and in applying said lever to thebracket 13, the rod is passed through suitable perforations in the lugs11 and 12, and then bent to form an elongated loop 1-1, the extreme endof the rod being brought into contact with the body of the lever betweenthe lugs 1.1 for preventing longitudinal movement of the lever. Thebracket 13 is perforated at 15, which perforation coincides with asimilar perforation 16 formed in the front wall of the tank. Theperforation 15 of the bracket is preferably threaded to receive thethreaded inner end of a thimble or bushing 17 which pierces the tank,the outer end of the thimble being secured to an cscutcheon 18. IV henthe thimble, bracket and cscutchcon are properly connected, the partsmay be rigidly secured to the wall of the tank without other means.

19 represents a rock shaft which is inserted through and has its bearingin the thinlble 17. The inner end of the shaft 19 is lifted with atransverse bar or double lever 20, arranged to provide oppositelypointing arms of substantially equal length extending at right angles tosaid shaft, the outer ends of said arms provided with studs or pins 21and 22, both of which normally engage and support. the loop 14 of thelever 10, when the operating parts are at rest, as while the flush valve5 is closed. (See full lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.) The outer end ofshaft 19 is provided with a threaded perforation 23 to receive ascrew-threaded part 2-1 of a depending gravitative handle 25, by whichshaft 19 and lever 10 are rocked for opening the flush valve 5. (Seedotted lines in Fig. 3.) The arrangement of these last named parts issuch that they all return to the rest position shown by the full lines.111 Figs. 1, 2 and 3, by gravity, after each operation. In order tolimit the operative movements of the lever 10, shaft 19 and handle 25 toa distance sufiicicnt to properly open the flush valve 5, I provide astoplug 26, which preferably is formed with the shaft 19, which ispositioned near its inner end, and which is arranged to engage shouldersor projections 27 and 27, which are preferably formed on the inner faceof the bracket 13, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 5. The stop 26 and thehandle 25, when properly constructed and applied, also prevent thelongitudinal movement of the shaft 19. The operation of the presentdevice is extremely simple. When the user of the closet desires to flushthe bowl, he grasps the handle 25 and swings it either to the right orto the left, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. .This swinging ofthe handle partially rotates the shaft 19, and the bar or double-lever20 being rigid on the shaft, one or the other of the pins 2122, liftsthe loop 14 and thereby rocks the lever 10 in the direction for.unseating the valve 5. Then when the operator lets go the handle 25, thehandle and all of the other working parts are restored to the full lineposition, shown in the several views, by gravity.

It is obvious that some changes or modifications may be made in theparts of the mechanism, within the scope defined by the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is

1. The combination with a. flush tank and a flush valve therein, of arocking lever, one end of said lever adapted to connect with said valve,the other end folded upon itself for forming an elongated loo-p, abracket for supporting said lever, a shaft for operating said lever, oneend of said shaft having a plurality of pins normally in engagement withsaid loop, one of said pins adapted when the shaft is rocked in oppositedirections to remain in engagement with and to lift said loop andthereby tilt said lever in the direction for unseating said valve, meansfor limiting the rotary movement of said shaft, and means for manuallyrocking said shaft.

2. In a flush valve operating mechanism, a rocking valve lever having anarm at one end adapted to connect with the valve, the opposite endfolded into a loop, a bracket for supporting said lever, said brackethaving a plurality of alined perforated lugs for operatively supportingsaid lever, a rock shaft having at one end spaced pins normally inengagement with said loop, adapt ed when said shaft is rocked inopposite direct-ions to lift said loop and thereby tilt said lever inthe direction for opening the flush valve, a lug carried by said shaftand projections carried by said bracket adapted for limiting the rockingmovement of said shaft to less than a quarter turn, and a gravitativehandle carried by the opposite end of said shaft for manually operatingsaid shaft.

8. The combination with a flush tank and a flush valve therein, of arocking lever, one end of said lever having an arm connecting wit-h saidvalve, the other end comprising an elongated loop, a bracket to supportsaid lever, said bracket mounted inside the tank and having a series ofalined lugs each of which is perforated to receive and pivotallysupport'said lever, two of said lugs being spaced suflieiently toreceive a portion ofsaid loop for preventing the longitudinal movementof said lever, a rock shaft, said shaft piercing the wall of the tankand also said bracket and having on its inner end a double lever, saiddouble-lever having spaced pins adapted to engage a portion of saidloop, and means for rocking said shaft either to the right or to theleft for effecting the tilting of said rocking lever and the unseatingof said valve.

4. A flush valve operating mechanism, comprising a lever having one endconnected with the flush valve, the opposite end formed into a loop, abracket for pivotally supporting said lever, a rock shaft journaled insaid bracket, one end of said shaft hav ing spaced studs adapted toengage the underside of said loop, a handle carried by the other end ofsaid shaft, said handle capable of being swung in opposite directionsfor rocking said shaft for effecting the tilt ing of said lever first byone, and then by the other of said studs, and a stop-lug carried by saidshaft adapted for limiting the operative movements of said shaft andsaid lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BERT O. TILDEN.

Witnesses F. A. WILKHE, E. J. OUTRAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. Y

